2 Samuel 1 · Verse 17

2 Samuel 1:17

And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son:

2 Samuel 1:17, King James Version

2 Samuel 1:17 in other translations

BSB	Then David took up this lament for Saul and his son Jonathan,
WEB	David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son
ASV	And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son
YLT	And David lamenteth with this lamentation over Saul, and over Jonathan his son;
DARBY	And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son;
BBE	Then David made this song of grief for Saul and Jonathan, his son:
Webster	And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul, and over Jonathan his son:

What does 2 Samuel 1:17 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 2 Samuel 1:17-18

17-18. David lamented with this lamentation--It has always been customary for Eastern people, on the death of great kings and warriors, to celebrate their qualities and deeds in funeral songs. This inimitable pathetic elegy is supposed by many writers to have become a national war song, and to have been taught to the young Israelites under the name of "The Bow," in conformity with the practice of Hebrew and many classical writers in giving titles to their songs from the principal theme (Psa 22:1; 56:1; 60:1; 80:1; 100:1). Although the words "the use of" are a supplement by our translators, they may be rightly introduced, for the natural sense of this parenthetical verse is, that David took immediate measures for instructing the people in the knowledge and practice of archery, their great inferiority to the enemy in this military arm having been the main cause of the late national disaster.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 17 David lamented - See this lamentation, and the notes on it at the end of this chapter, 2Sam 1:21 (note).

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 2 Samuel 1:17-27

Kasheth, or "the bow," probably was the title of this mournful, funeral song. David does not commend Saul for what he was not; and says nothing of his piety or goodness. Jonathan was a dutiful son, Saul an affectionate father, therefore dear to each other. David had reason to say, that Jonathan's love to him was wonderful. Next to the love between Christ and his people, that affection which springs form it, produces the strongest friendship. The trouble of the Lord's people, and triumphs of his enemies, will always grieve true believers, whatever advantages they may obtain by them.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

2 Samuel 1:17 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיְקֹנֵ֣ןvay.ko.Nenand he lamentedH6969

דָּוִ֔דda.VidDavidH1732

אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853

הַקִּינָ֖הha.ki.Nahthe lamentationH7015

הַזֹּ֑אתha.Zot<the> thisH2063

עַל\־'al-onH5921

שָׁא֖וּלsha.'UlSaulH7586

וְעַל\־ve.'al-and onH5921

יְהוֹנָתָ֥ןye.ho.na.TanJonathanH3083

בְּנֽוֹ\׃be.Noson hisH1121

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 2 Samuel 1:17

2 Chronicles 35:25
And Jeremiah lamented for Josiah: and all the singing men and the singing women spake of Josiah in their lamentations to this day, and made them an ordinance in Israel: and, behold, they are written in the lamentations.
2 Samuel 1:19
The beauty of Israel is slain upon thy high places: how are the mighty fallen!
Genesis 50:11
And when the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, saw the mourning in the floor of Atad, they said, This is a grievous mourning to the Egyptians: wherefore the name of it was called Abel–mizraim, which is beyond Jordan.
Jeremiah 9:17-21
Thus saith the Lord of hosts, Consider ye, and call for the mourning women, that they may come; and send for cunning women, that they may come: And let them make haste, and take up a wailing for us, that our eyes may run down with tears, and our eyelids gush out with waters. For a voice of wailing is heard out of Zion, How are we spoiled! we are greatly confounded, because we have forsaken the land, because our dwellings have cast us out. Yet hear the word of the Lord, O ye women, and let your ear receive the word of his mouth, and teach your daughters wailing, and every one her neighbour lamentation. …

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

lamented.
19; Ge 50:11; 2Ch 35:25; Jer 9:17-21

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

2 Samuel 1:16
And David said unto him, Thy blood be upon thy head; for thy mouth hath testified against thee, saying, I have slain the Lord’s anointed.
2 Samuel 1:17
And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son:
2 Samuel 1:18
(Also he bade them teach the children of Judah the use of the bow: behold, it is written in the book of Jasher.)

Read all of 2 Samuel 1

2 Samuel 1:17 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Y endechó David á Saúl y á Jonathán su hijo con esta endecha.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Et David prononça sur Saül et sur Jonathan, son fils, cette complainte;
German Elberfelder 1871	Und David stimmte dieses Klagelied an über Saul und über Jonathan, seinen Sohn;
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Planxit autem David planctum hujuscemodi super Saul, et super Jonathan filium ejus